Cape cops nab three for illegal firearms in separate incidents

CAPE TOWN - Police in Cape Town have arrested three suspects for being in possession of illegal firearms in three different incidents around the city, Western Cape police said on Sunday.

South African Police Service (SAPS) officers attached to the anti-gang unit conducted high density patrols in and around Molteno Court, Clarke Estate in Elsies River in the early hours of Sunday morning, Captain FC van Wyk said.

"They heard gunshots and on investigation saw an unknown male running away as they approached. Members pursued him and saw him fling something over the wall. He was apprehended and on returning to the spot where he threw the item, they found a 9mm pistol with no ammunition. The 45-year-old male was arrested for possession of an unlicensed firearm."

In an unrelated incident, members of crime Intelligence and the Kleinvlei SAPS followed up on information of irregularities at a premises in Sering Street, Park Village, Eerste River, he said.

"A suspect, who is allegedly a member of a gang, was arrested for possession of an illegal firearm. One pistol and one magazine with eight rounds of ammunition were seized."

On Friday, in the ongoing clampdown on gang activities within the Elsie River policing precinct, the anti-gang unit and Elsies River crime prevention unit were deployed in the precinct in an intelligence-driven operation, Van Wyk said.

The officers received information about a suspect as they conducted high density patrols in the Elsies River residential area at about 6.30pm. They saw a suspicious person fitting the description given to them. As they approached, he started to move away and officers saw him throw something down as he tried to run away.

They found a 9mm pistol of which the serial number had been removed and a fully loaded magazine, and the 23-year-old man was arrested. He was affiliated to a local gang within the Elsies River area and would appear in court on Monday, Van Wyk said.

Anyone with information regarding any illegal gang activities or gang violence was kindly requested to contact Crime Stop on 08600-10111 or sms 32211.